My Real Estate experience since 1969 (and how the Real Estate business has changed since then)
Lorne Livingston Real Estate Agent Mississauga's Team Leader  I am happy to answer any questions about Real Estate? Call or Text me at: 416.771.8066 Why not get my 40+ years Experience Working for you...		In 1963, after leaving the Canadian Air Force, I worked for Litton Systems on the Cruise missile guidance system as an engineering technologist. The Litton engineering department ran into a problem with the system and Litton was going to close the Canadian company. I was informed about the problem and in a few minutes I told them how to solve the problem. I was able to save the jobs of over 3,000 employees. In 1968 I left Litton Systems when the idea of working on a military project bothered me and I went to Spar Aerospace. They made the Canadarm for the NASA spaceshuttle. In 1969 I was invited to get into Real Estate. I have always been interested in Real Estate. I bought my first home when I was 20 yrs old. In 1969 when I began my Real Estate career, all Realtors worked Full Time. I was expected to work 9am to 9pm 7 days a week. Over the years how things have changed! For many years RECO (Real Estate Council of Ontario) have been licensing "Part Time" Realtors. What a downgrading of the Real Estate profession. Do you know that there are about 98,000 Realtors licensed in Ontario, most (approx 60,000) in the GTA practice Real Estate part time. I can remember booking a showing on a home for my client and being told that another Realtor also wanted to show the home. When a cab pulled up and the cab driver showed me his card, He was the Realtor. I can also remember presenting an offer on a home listed by a Realtor who could not explain the "Offer to Purchase" to the Seller. She kept saying, "I have to talk to my manager." The home owner was surprised in her lack of knowledge. I wasn't. I have seen so many "Part Time" Real Rstate salespersons over the years.. I could write a book. I remember my first week in the business. I listed a home and sold it in my first week. It had been on the market for 6 months and the listing had expired. It was a detached home in south Etobicoke. I listed the home and I sold it for $28,500. I made $855. That might not seem like much but the average wage in 1969 was about $75 a week. Some weeks I made over $2,500 and I enjoyed working 7 days a week. In 1978 I opened my own Real Estate brokerage and hired a few salespersons. I tried to help them understand the business, the importance of meeting clients (belly to belly). Every day they would be siting in the office drinking coffee waiting for the phone to ring. After reading an article "You can't teach a pig to sing".... it was about trying to teach salespersons how to work. I gave up (with a smile, LOL) helped all my salespersons tranfer to other Offices and I closed my two offices.

I am now back to Selling........ Full Time... of course. I enjoy helping you with all your Real Estate Needs. I have never had a client dissatisfied with my service. The Real Estate business has really changed. In 1969 the commission for selling a home was fixed at 6% for MLS (Multiple Listing Service). The commission was then split 60% paid to the cooperating brokerage for selling and 40% paid to the Listing broker for listing the home. So if the commission was say: $1000. The listing brokerage would get $400. This was fair payment for the work and the cost of advertising and the $25 fee for listing the home on the Toronto Real Estate Board MLS (it's Free now). In those days there were no cell phones or pagers. Realtors had to be in the offace 9am to 9pm 7 days a week. I'm a FULL TIME Realtor, I'm available 7 days a week. In the 70's the American franchises like Century21, Re/Max, and others came into Canada and things changed. How did this affect the Real Estate business? The commission spit was changed to 50% for the listing portion and 50% for the selling portion. This helped pay for the franchise fees to be paid to the American franchise companies. The focus changed from Selling homes to Listing homes. Without Listings a Realtor can not be successful. They used the power of their "Big Name" to dominate the Listing market. More people got into the Business due to RECO (Real Estate Council of Ontario) licensing Part Time Realtors. This downgraded the "Real Estate Profession" to a profession filled with many thousands of "Unprofessional Part Timers". It is estimated that more than 60,000 "Part Time" Realtors are licensed in the GTA, and that the vast majority of these "Part Timers" are found in these "Big Name" American franchises: Century21, Re/Max, ERA, Help-U-Sell, Realty Executives, Coldwell Banker, PropertyGuys, KW(Keller Williams). Why take a chance of getting a "Part Timer"? Will a "Part Time" Realtor know how to market your home or negotiate the best terms and price when you buy a home? Many airport Limo drivers are Licensed Realtors. If they just List one home a year they can earn $25,000 or more for a few hours work. Just imagine the driver saying "Welcome to Canada, will you be buying a home in Canada?" "If you buy from me...I will give you "Cash Back". I work for the "Big Name" Real Estate company. Or a co-worker at your office tells you, "if you want to Sell your home, I can Sell it for you, I work for a "Big Name" company. Don't be misled. When you see a SOLD sign on a home, Don't assume that the Listing Agent found the Buyer. Only the Listing Agent is allowed to advertise that they SOLD the home. The fact is that more than 90% of the time another Realtor sold it. Of the 98,000 Realtors in Ontario, More than 60,000 are "Part Timers" working for the "Big Name" American franchises in the GTA. Also....... Today the listing portion is often more than $25,000. We at Team Linus feel that this is far too much to pay for this service. All realtors understand that having a Listing with a "For Sale" is important, It promotes the Realtor. Why sould you have to pay the Realtor for this? We understand that Listing your home, working hard and Selling your home promotes our Team. So... We are not charging the Listing portion. Bonus:    When I personally locate the buyer for your home, and you choose to use me as your "Buyer's Agent" when you purchase your next home, I will Sell your house for FREE*! You pay Nothing for all my work, knowledge and experience. *(Not including remuneration for buyer/co-operating brokerage.) We are in a "Buy Canada" mind set.. Why deal with the American Franchise brokerages? They pay Thousands into the USA... Remember "Elbows Up".

West-100 Capital Realty Inc. Brokerage      Office 416-658-5553

Get my 40+ years of Full Time Experience working for you... FREE* *(Not including remuneration for buyer/co-operating brokerage.)